We Are The BatFamily
by VexyJeanetteRaven22-6
Summary: This 16-chapter story was prewritten fully before publishing, to avoid the wait between chapters. It is mostly centered around the life of Damian Wayne, but also includes Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Barbara Gordon, Cass Cain, Stephanie Brown, Tim Drake, Alfred Pennyworth, and Talia Al Ghul. Takes place in the Son Of The Batman/Batman VS Robin movie universe.
1. Chapter 1

"I'm sorry, but I can't. I just have so much to do, they booked everything for me that week. I'm sorry." His eyes dropped to the reciever, as if to look at her and read her expression. I closed my eyes, swaying on my feet, as she apologized again. I told her, "It's okay, Mother, it really is. You can come out whenever time allows."

A few minutes later she hung up, and he turned around to me. "Sorry, Damian."

There would be time to feel sorry for myself later. I shrugged it off, turning back and walking into my room off the kitchen. I pulled out my book, and I've been writing since. I know I shouldn't be upset, but she did promise she would come and visit soon, and she still hasn't. From what I heard Father murmur to Alfred when I had closed my door, he misses her, too. He said he still loved her, just as much as he did when-

"Hello? Hey, where are you guys?" A voice echoes through the open doorway. I look over the back of the couch next to me. My brother stands there, messy black hair ruffled in the wind. Above him are two staircases, both leading up to the same hall, where several doors stand, some open and some closed. Early evening light comes through huge windows, mid-summer light making yellow and orange blanket everything this late in the day.

He walks through the door, his best friends behind him. A teen with lavender hair would be my sister Raven-ugh, I can't believe I am related to her. She's mean to me, teasing me at every opportunity. A cybernetic jock is Cyborg, or Victor, he goes by both names. A green-skinned boy is Beast Boy, his eyes glowing like the green grasses of his homeland in India. The girl with pink locks coming through the door last is Koriand'r, or Starfire, my brother's girlfriend. "Nightbrain! In here."

He follows my voice into the room on the right, a couch marking the doorway. I look up at him from it. Another sits against the wall and a huge television is mounted onto the wall across from it. My brown hair hangs down slightly onto my forehead, and I brush it away, looking up at my brother with green eyes. The black haired teen, undeterred, says to me, "Hey, pipsqueak. Where is everyone?"

You did not! Take that back, insufferable little- I glare up at Dick Grayson. He might be leader of a worldwide superhero team, but he has no respect. He should. "Grayson, Grayson, Grayson. I wish you would learn."

I'm sitting with my legs bent, lying down on my back. A journal-type book is against my legs, so it's a bit difficult to get up and not lose my place. Nothing the son of Talia Al Ghul and Bruce Wayne can't handle, though. In one fluid movement, I'm over the back of the couch. I throw a few punches at Grayson, and I get a few in return. "I've said it before, I'm gonna say it again-I was trained by Batman. He beat Ra's Al Ghul up every time they clashed, and that, Damian, is who trained you."

"I learn from history, I don't repeat it." I fire back, picking my book up without breaking eye contact with my oldest brother. How can he be so fearless? I was trained to kill first, ask questions later, so why am I the one that's afraid of-

I carry my book and lead the group. I walk down a hall, and all is still and quiet. It's eerie, in a way. "They're in the kitchen. Father is making the good barbeque food everyone likes and Barbara is making fruit salad. We will be eating it for days."

"What makes you say that?" Grayson questions. I look up at him. "Maybe it's the fact she's using three watermelons as part of it. Maybe it's the fact she wanted to use that silver bowl-you know, the one we filled with eight gallons of chocolate syrup that one time?-to put it all in? I don't know, why don't you ask her?"

When we arrive in the kitchen, I stand in the doorway as everyone walks past me. Barbara is reaching for something in a cupboard, stretching for it as far as she can. Nightwing, unnoticed, reaches up and hands it to her. She smiles at him, they embrace as a hello-he hasn't been around in weeks-and he helps her and TD, or Tim Drake, prep the food. His friends help out, too, setting the table on the back patio and such.

I sit against the wall, pulling my book out and writing down all I see now. I listen to everyone talking, Barbara bragging on herself and TD proving she exaggerates. Raven, at one point, says to Nightwing, "This is so smooth. Why can't we work like this back at the tower?"

He shrugs, and I look up. Because you feel you only need a leader on missions. If you let him be in charge while you're at your house, things would be different.

Father comes through the back door a while later, pulling something out of the fridge and motioning to me so I will follow. I set my book down on the counter and walk outside, blinking when the sunlight hits my eyes.

A beautiful spread is laid out on the table, B's salad and Father's barbequed chicken making wonderful scents that meet my nose as I step outside. The others follow me a few minutes later, and we dig in.


	2. Chapter 2

I walk through the door of my room. I throw down the duffel bag I've been carrying and flop onto my bed. My big bed, down comforters and fluffy pillows, is hard to leave. Since the villain band has threatened Dami and the others, I told Dad I would move back down here, at least for a little while. My youngest brother is less than thrilled about the idea, but he doesn't like me much anyway.

TD, as he's been going by lately, was 'so excited that he'd finally get someone to talk to,' as Bruce put it. My father has a tendency to make things less exciting than they are, so I didn't know what to expect. Until twenty minutes ago, when I pulled up on my motorbike and came inside. The house I spent nearly six years in is something I definetly missed during the months I spent as leader of the Titans.

I let Cy take charge. I knew he could handle it and besides, I wanted to go home for a while. Damian muttered something to me but I was nice to him. He needs someone to take care of him, as much as he refuses anyone trying. I did.

I unpack, the small amount of clothes I own are put in the closet, alongside my Nightwing uniform, which I'm terribly proud of. I can hear Stephanie in her room down the hall, singing along to some pop song as she cleans up. Bruce's room, on the right of mine, is silent, though I know he's in there. If I listen close enough, I can hear the rasp of his tired breath against the pillows on his bed. He feels bad for having this happen.

I have to tell him how glad I am to be home, I think as I tuck my bag into the top of my closet. I walk into the hall, hearing Dami argue with Alfred downstairs. The little boy thinks he's in charge, though I can't blame him. He grew up as basically prince of the whole fortress he lived in, so that sense of losing grip is on him. I've been there, so I don't understand why we can't get along better.

Before I can head down to them, though, a crime alert goes off. Ooh, that's new. I thought we relied on the light. Oh, wait, the new alert could be for the villain band.

I throw my uniform on and head to the laundry shoot. Hoping I still fit, I launch myself down the silver tube. I slide down to the laundry room and jump down the stairs, taking two at a time. I unlock the door and walk into the Batcave, walking down the line of displays. I gingerly touch the one with my costume on as I fasten my mask over my eyes. It reflects the one in the case exactly, and I trace the spiked edge of it before jumping down to the computer and clicking the threat.

Harley and Joker. I haven't seen either of them in a while, I think. Dami comes down the steps, muttering, "How are you so fast?"

"Try heading down the laundry shoot and coming down through that way." I tell him. When the others arrive, Bruce sends Damian and I down to take the husband-and-wife team out. I hop on my motorcycle, and Dami grips me from behind, twisting his head so his cheek is against my back. When we arrive at the warehouse they're raiding, I stop the motorcycle, turning it behind a crate.

"I've never fought these two," he mutters as we get off the bike and duck behind some of the wooden boxes. "So what should I do?"

"You should defienetly-oh, shoot." I wince as I see Joker coming out. He twirls a cane in his left hand, laughing, as he loads his car up. "Okay, see that cane? One time Batman and Jay were fighting him and he separated them. He beat Jason so bad with a crowbar he died. I get nervous even thinking about it."

"So stay together and get the cane. Got it," he says, looking over to me. I blink out the fear from my eyes and tell myself I'll be okay, then I nod to Damian. "Oh, and don't let Harley do any cartwheels. It'll break your bones if she hits you."

"Got it, Nightwing." He gives me a small smile, though if it's from adrenaline or sympathy I can't tell. Probably the first one.

"We almost lost." Damian mutters. He's lying facedown into a blue ice pack, and I'm lying back on the other couch with a similar pack on my forehead. "And it's my fault. Sorry, Damian. I just got nervous."

"I can't blame you. I've just never come that close to losing before." He looks up at me, then presses his face down again. The bruise on his cheekbone is one I could have prevented, the scar across the bridge of his nose something I could have kept from happening. He murmurs, "Besides, we won, they're in jail. Two less VB's we have to worry about."

VB's-villian band members. I look out through the front window, the thin curtains blocking most of it out. Bruce and Cass walk into the room, and she's saying to him, "I don't see why we can't take a vacation. We could take a week and go as the Wayne family, just go, none of the villains would even notice."

"I don't know, Cassandra. Hey, Grayson, Damian, what do you think?" I look up. "I haven't been on vacation in nearly three years. I vote yes."

"Do I have to socialize with anyone?" Narrowed eyes from Bruce make Damian nod. "Why not, then?"

As we talk about it, I notice Damian slipped away. I tell them I'm going to look for him and make my way down the hall to his room. Empty. Where else would he have gone? I don't see any reason for him to be-the cave!

I slide down the laundry shoot tunnel, seeing a small dent in the dirty clothes before I land. He definetly went this way. Landed clumsily, though.

I see him against the railing on the hall. The display cases are in front of him, he's staring at mine. "I've seen each of you fight."

For a minute, I think he didn't speak and I was hearing things. But he continues, and I listen from the doorway, clicking the door shut behind me. "You were all heroes, all had respect for everyone and everyone respected you. So why is it I don't?"

My breath catches in my throat. "How come it was so easy for you, and not for me? I'm not ready for this kind of responsibility, anyway. I'm eight years old."

I walk over to Dami, sitting next to him, quiet as a mouse. He looks depressed, and I would ask why if I hadn't heard him just now. He knows, but plays dumb, breathing a sigh. "I wasn't ready, either, Damian."

He doesn't look up, but his green gaze softens for a moment. It hardens as I keep talking. "At least you've got our brothers and Dad."

"Yeah. . ." he murmurs, so I know he heard me. He turns, tears sparkling at the edges of his eyes. I don't think Ra's let him cry, ever. "I have you, too."

I pull him close in an impulsive hug. A moment later, I realize he won't let me go, but it's okay. We're okay. He cries a little, and I hold on to him. "You're okay, Dami. Shh. . . ."


	3. Chapter 3

I pick my backpack up out of the front hall, and Grayson follows me. Since that night in the cave, I've talked with Grayson quite a few times. I hadn't realized he wanted to get along, and once I did I was happy to oblige. He's nice enough, and I think each of us has something to learn from the other.

Out in the front yard, Raven is playing around with Barbara, who's blonde hair is wet. She washed it a while ago, and since all of her stuff is packed, she's singing and dancing with the hybrid-demon. One song comes on and Cass races into the grass, kicking her shoes off, and they sing and cartwheel.

"/I'm a pheonix in the water/A fish that's learned to fly/And I've always been a daughter/But feathers are meant for the sky/" Rae sings. She flips off the porch railing and nearly bowls me over as Barbara takes the stage. "So I'm wishing, wishing further/For the excitement to arrive/It's just I'd rather be causing the chaos/Than laying at the sharp end of this knife/"

"With every small disaster, I'll let the waters still/Take me away to someplace real/'Cause they say home is where your heart is set in stone/It's where you go when you're alone/It's where you go to rest your bones/It's not just where you lay your head, it's not just where you make your bed/As long as we're together, does it matter where we go, oh?/Oh, home, home, ho-oh-ome, home/" The two girls sing this together. Because Grayson isn't behind me anymore, I look back from the stone path. He's kissing Koriand'r goodbye, a quick peck, and then walks back to me. His girlfriend heads inside, where she'll be staying this week. The other Titans will head back to their tower while she house-sits. "So when I'm ready to be bolder, and my cuts have healed with time/Comfort will rest on my shoulder, not bury my future behind/I'll always keep you with me, you'll be always on my mind/But there's a shining in the shadows, I'll never know unless I try/"

"With every small disaster, I'll let the waters still/Take me away to someplace real/'Cause they say home is where your heart is set in stone/It's where you go when you're alone" Night and I watch the girls from the driveway as they finish out their song. "It's where you go to rest your bones/It's not just where you lay your head, it's not just where you make your bed/As long as we're together, does it matter where we go, oh?/Oh, home, home, ho-oh-ome, home/Home, home, home, home/Cause they say home is where your heart is set in stone/It's where you go when you're alone/It's where you go to rest your bones/It's not just where you lay your head, it's not just where you make your bed/As long as we're together, does it matter where we go, oh?/Oh, home, home, ho-oh-ome, home/

Cy and Beast Boy, who are sitting on the porch, clap for them, and I roll my eyes. I walk into the RV, the one Father just bought. He says we'll be using it a lot now, which made Steph and Cass cheer. I look at the driver and passenger seats, which Alfred, who we persuaded to come, and Father will occupy. Above that is a small bed-like area, with a matress for a floor and pillows all around. Father says it's my spot.

There are curtains along the side that looks down on the table and minifridge, where Grayson and I are standing. I climb up into my spot, looking out the tiny window to everyone in the yard. Grayson hands me my backpack, which is full of hoodies, which I wear every day, T-shirts, and a couple pairs of jeans. Tucked inside the clothes is a device known as a Nintendo DS, which Grayson bought for me last night. He also got some games, which he has copies of, so we can play each other while we're on the road.

TD gets in the RV and sits next to Grayson at the table. I watch as Grayson pulls his device out, asking Tim if he wants to run in and get his. The younger boy nods and comes out with a blue one. I look down at them, and I see Tim has a few games like ours so we can battle. I smile. Finally, a way to get along with them.

"Come on, we've got to get going!" Bruce calls to Jason and Barbara, Jason who's sitting with his girlfriend on the porch. Her real name is Trinity, but she likes Terra better. He gets up, kissing her sweetly as a goodbye. She kisses him back, stretching up on her toes. I cringe at the sight, thinking, Could he choose a more gross way to say goodbye?

Stephanie and Cass climb in beside Barbara, all sitting next to the boys. Barbara pulls out her phone and begins loading the app version of the battle game. "Nothing better than a vacation."

"You mean all of us sitting here playing video games. We could do this in the living room, you know." I tell her. Jason gets in, buckling up and sipping a soda he'd left in here earlier. I load my game and click on the two player mode. Nightwing tags in and I click his username. I choose an avatar, giving it a name-Dark Star-and choosing FIGHT. Nightwing's character is named Black Sugar.

Since he's level ten and I'm only level one, I lose almost instantly. He clicks a few options to even out the fight and goes easy on me, so ten minutes later I am level five. "Catching up, Day."

"Just waiting until I win a battle." I tell him, clicking FIGHT one more time. Jason reaches into his pocket for his phone, wanting to play with us. He looks crestfallen, and he says, "And I left my phone on the porch table."


	4. Chapter 4

"It's hot. I can't wear hoodies out here." I tell Grayson. We've driven out to the Grand Canyon, where the weather isn't agreeing with my year-round hoodie-wearing thing. He shakes his head. "I know how you feel."

My phone makes a ding! noise, so I pull it out to check it. The notification is from the FORM, the superhero version of Facebook. Raven's posted a video and there's about ten comments, even though she's only posted it ten minutes ago. Must be nice to be popular.

At eleven at night, the light from my phone screen is brighter than it should be. I turn it down and Grayson looks over my shoulder. Stop it, insufferable brat!

"Watch that video, Day." He tells me, so I press play. My screen lights up and I see a boy. A boy, curled up on a linolium floor, pushing papers away as he stood up. Then, lyrics play and I watch the boy run, run from people who weren't like him, people who didn't understand him, people who would shoot at him-Oh my God, that's me.

I listen to the words, the words to Titanium. You shout out, but I can't hear a word you say/I'm talking down, not saying much/I'm criticized, but all your bullets ricochet/Shoot me down, but I get up/

Cass climbs off of her foldout bed to watch with me as the chorus begins. I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose/Fire away, fire away, ricochet, you take your aim/Fire away, fire away, you shoot me down, but I won't fall/I am titanium, you shoot me down, but I won't fall/I am titanium

Cut me down, but it's you who'll have further to fall/Ghost town and haunted love/Raise your voice, sticks and stones may break my bones/I'm talking loud, not saying much By the second time the chorus plays, I'm singing along. "I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose/Fire away, fire away, ricochet, you take your aim/Fire away, fire away, you shoot me down but I won't fall/I am titanium, you shoot me down, but I won't fall, I am titanium"

Stone heart, machine gun/Firing at the ones who run/Stone heart, bulletproof glass/You shoot me down, but I won't fall, I am titanium/You shoot me down, but I won't fall, I am titanium/You shoot me down, but I won't fall, I am titanium/You shoot me down, but I won't fall, I am titanium, I am titanium

"Whoa. . . ." I murmur, the video screen going black. I look up at my brother, who just smiles. I lean against him, closing my eyes and pressing my phone against my chest. "She's right, for once. That's just like me."

"Oh, she's so going to find out you said that, Dami-brat." He laughs. "Okay, Gray-stupid, I-"

"Masters. Please stop resorting to name calling every time you disagree over something." Alfred snaps at us. He's setting up GPS directions for us so we can find our way home tomorrow. "So you're saying I can beat Damian up every time I don't like something he says? Okay!"

He tackles me, but I fight him off. "You know you can't hurt me."

"Yeah." He mutters and then remembers something. "I promised I'd video-call the Titans tonight."

He pulls out his laptop, clicking on an icon and typing in five keys: TOWER. The screen fizzes with static, and everyone comes in from outside as the chat comes on. There's a buzz of chatter I shut out with my hands over my ears, then I look up to see Cy, BB, Star, and-ugh-Raven on the screen. She laughs at me. "Loud, huh, Dami?"

"Someday, you're going to regret being mean to me. The day I die, I think." I tell her darkly. She gets this look on her face, the one she gets when she thinks about how young she was destined to die. "Damian, don't say that."

"With the reckless way you do things, I wouldn't be suprised." Bruce says, typing on his phone in the driver's seat. I look over to see who he's texting-Talia. I narrow my eyes at him as the facetime continues behind me. I roll my eyes-while he might not appear like it, Father is truly in love with my mother. Why, then, did he not marry her and have a child then? Too many questions. I turn back to the conversation as Star asks Grayson when he's coming home.

I wait for him to say he is home, he's with us, but he doesn't. He just shakes his head and TD laughs. "That's his way of saying he's having too much fun out here. I mean, what's not to love about turning twigs and newspaper shreds into fire, you know?"

"Shut up, Tim." Grayson swats at him, and the Titans laugh. I roll my eyes at my brothers. "You're just jealous you couldn't have brother time with us."

"Yeah." My oldest brother says. "You could've, but no-o-o. Videogames were more important."

I stick my tongue out and settle down on my knees beside Dick. He puts an arm around me. Cy laughs. "Wait, what did you do?"

"We made a cool little fire out of newspapers and stuff." Grayson tells his team. "You know, just this little flame that burnt out in like, five minutes."

"Why?" BB asks. I giggle at the thought. "I said I'd never heard of a cooking spray flamethrower, and so we lit things on fire."

"A what?" Raven asks. Grayson tells her, "You know, you get a can of cooking spray and spray it. Then you shoot the spray with a lighter."

"Yeah. Definetly sounds like the kind of crazy you do." Star disses him. He laughs at her. I notice at one point, Jason blows Terra a kiss, and silently she catches the imaginary kiss. Gross.


	5. Chapter 5

"So what? At least I'm mature enough to admit it, shrimp." Tim teases. I look behind me to my youngest brothers as they brawl. Damian and Drake are at the kitchen counter, elbows propped up on the stainless steel. "You're a little-"

"Master Damian!" Alfred snaps from beside me. I turn and flick out the dishtowel in my hands, then I set it down and beckon to Dami. "C'mon, I did promise we could spar later."

"You did, Grayson." He runs into his bedroom and pulls out his twin samurai swords and tucks them behind him. I'm already in my uniform, so I wait while he changes his clothes. Then we race down to the cave, where there's more space to fight. "Beat you there, Nightwing!"

We pull out our weapons and spar. I lash at him with my twin sticks, and he counters with slashes from his blades. "You know, Damian, you're never going to be as good as me at anything. So why don't you give up already?"

"What's keeping me from learning?" He asks. So wise for such a little boy. You have to remember he's been trained by Ra's Al Ghul, though.

He does a flip off of the stair railing, and I walk backward up the banister. "You're definetly your father's son, Day."

"I am." He says matter-of-factly, then we launch blows at each other. I recall a move he used on me before he left to the monastary, all those weeks and months ago. I shove out, without a warning, and push him into the computer chair below. He gasps for breath, and I leap down lightly beside him. "You know, you're going to have to shape up. There's no way you'll win any battles with real villains otherwise."

As if on cue, the new alert rings out, red lights flashing. Damian mutters, "Speak of the devil. . . ."

The others hurry down, pulling their uniforms on. Cassandra is tugging at her cowl, muttering how messed up her hair is going to be. Tim tightens his Red Robin costume, now going by Red so Dami can have the Robin identity. Jason takes the stairs two at a time, his X mask hanging down behind his scarred face. I smile lightly at him, and we both remember the first Red X-me. When Batman arrives, we all look up to the computer.

"Bane and Poison Ivy." Bruce tells us. I make a blech! noise and exchange a glance with Damian. My little brother and I will have to go on this mission, I can feel it. Then our father clicks a second alert, narrowing his eyes. "Joker and Harley Quinn again. Something's telling me one's a diversion for the other."

"How about this, we split up, you and I can go take out Joker and Harley. The others can get Bane and Ivy, and have the strength-in-numbers benefit." Bruce suggests. He winks at me-everyone knows how afraid we are to fight Joker. I tell him, "Sounds good to me. We can take the bikes?"

"Yep." Barbara says, standing with Steph at the top of the stairs. She's got her Oracle laptop out, ready to hack security systems. "I'll help Jay and Bruce from here."

I wave and we race to our motorbikes. Dami grips tight to my back, and Tim rides with Cass. "Hold on tight, Robin."

When we arrive, we see Ivy twirling green vines in a magic dance up a warehouse wall. I see a bloodstain on the wall, and I'm shot back to the day my team fought here-that's Starfire's blood. I wince and dive forward behind a crumbling wall. The concrete is a perfect cover to watch the villains. "Can anyone see Bane? He's not-"

Tim screeches, and we turn. Bane has him and Dami in a death hold, Robin so tight around the neck I can see breathing is hard. Poison Ivy comes over to us, kissing her faithful sidekick on the cheek. Cassandra and I attack, but it's an effort in vain. The villains dissapear into the late evening light with our youngest brothers. I race to the car starting outside, my sister on my heels.

"Let them go!" She screams. Poison Ivy, in the driver's seat, laughs wickedly. "Okay, but you didn't say where! I'm thinking I'll follow the freeway, how's that?"

"No!" I yowl. Dami's tied up, a gag over his mouth, looking out the window at us. His eyes are wild. Tim's unconscious, slumped over the seat. Bane cackles, and they're gone in a cloud of smoke. "Robin! Red!"

We yowl for a few minutes, then the storm above us breaks. It hurts worse than anything, the rain, since I recall the storm a few nights ago when Dami, afraid of the thunder, got into my big bed with me and spent the night in my arms. Now they're gone. . . .

"Damian! Timothy!" We scream into the pouring rain, but we have to head home. They're gone.

When we arrive home, Jason throws a towel around my shoulders and Barbara wraps Cass in one. Bruce, seeing the tears hot against our cheeks, murmurs comfortingly, "It's okay. It's okay."

"They got them, they got Day and TD." My sister murmurs, sitting on the couch, eyes red. I sob a little, feeling so exposed, as if I lost all the training I've had. "We could've done something, I could've done something."

Bruce puts an arm around me, pressing my cheek to his chest. "You'll be okay. It wasn't your fault."

"It was, though. We could have-" Cass sneezes. Jason pulls back her hood and dabs away the water underneath with the towel. "Shh. . . ."

"I've just got all this pressure on me. Got so much depending on me. Sometimes I wish this wasn't my life." I mutter, still held by my father. He brushes back my black hair as I keep talking. "Just lost two of my brothers and couldn't do anything."

Alfred comes in with dry towels for us, Stephanie on his heels. The seven of us curl up on the couch. Tonight's not a good night, I think as the lightning flashes through the window. Not good at all.


	6. Chapter 6

"And stay here if you know what's good for you!" Poison Ivy cackles. Bane slams the car door shut and they shoot exhaust fumes over the two of us, tied up. They speed off down the forested highway. I lean back and dislodge my sword from its holster and cut the ropes binding my hands with it. I tear off the white cloth and take a deep breath of-mostly-fresh air. Cars speed by, oblivious, as I untie Tim.

I pull off his gag first, and he lays there taking several deep breaths. He finally manages, "Thanks, little prince."

"Mmm-hmm." I snap his hand ties off, and he rubs his wrists. Mine are torn up, too. I barely notice, though, the back of my brother's head is dripping blood. I touch the spot lightly, relieved to find it's not too bad. "How'd that happen?"

I unroll the bandages tucked under my sleeve. I wrap it up as he shrugs, then says, "Hey, why do you carry bandages under your costume?"

"Grayson's paranoid." We both laugh lightly. Then, I look around me into the forest. It's raining in the direction of home, though I have no idea how far away that is, since we were unconscious most of the way here. Tim lays up against a tree, saying, "We can go home in the morning, alright?"

I nod, but I gasp before I can settle down. Was that. . .voices? Who's crazy enough to be out here this late?

"Relax, Damian. It's nothing." I nod, trying to calm down. It's nothing, Dami. Just go to sleep.

I close my eyes and relax for what seems like only a moment before the thunder strikes. Before the lightning flashes I'm at TD's side. I curl up next to him, looking up at the rainy sky. He wraps an arm around me, not saying anything. His eyes stay closed, too, but he leans down to kiss the top of my head before relaxing. I lay down, my head on his chest, calm now that I feel safe.

When daylight comes, a few rain-filled hours later, Tim says we should get on the road. We look down the highway. "Which way would you like to go, Timothy?"

"'Kay, Ivy and Bane went that way, and were probably heading home, and they came from that way and turned around, so. . . ." He points, and we walk on the edge of the road. There are few cars on the highway, and as we walk along miles and miles of forest, I can see why. "There's literally nothing out here."

"Yes, civilization is most likely far away from here." I mutter, picking my way through the gravel on the side of the highway. I put on earbuds, thinking back to when I got the iPod my music is coming from.

"Hey, can I borrow Dami for a second before you go?" Grayson asked. I looked up at him-what did he want now? My father had left the room when Dick finally spoke. "Here, Dami, this is for you."

He handed me an iPod. I remembered saying earlier I had liked the music he had playing in his bedroom, and I guess he decided to get this for me. "Just in case. I know how bad Bruce can be out on patrol."

Then he left, and I walked with the tiny black device in my palm. I tucked it in my pocket, unwinding my earbuds and plugging them in. When we were safely on our way, I pressed PLAY, listening to the songs he had preloaded onto the player. I gasped when I realized what the recording was. A static-filled voice came over the player, followed by the same person singing. "Hey, Damian, this is Grayson. You said you liked something to listen to, every once in a while. Let this be your song."

I climbed a mountain and I turned around/And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills/When the landslide brought me down/Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love/Can the child within my heart rise above/Can I sail through the changing ocean tides/Can I handle the seasons of my life/I've been afraid of change since I built my life/But time makes you bolder/Children get older/I'm getting older, too, well/Well, I've been afraid of changing since I built my life/But time makes you bolder/Time makes older children get older/I'm getting older, too, oh, I'm getting older, too/So, take my love, hold it down/If you climb a mountain and turn back around/If you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills/Just know the landslide brought me down/If you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills/Well, maybe, maybe, the landslide will bring you home/

"Don't be afraid of change, little Damian. The landslides bring us to where we belong."

I listen to the track and recording again, watching the black asphalt beneath my feet. The ground is changing from green grass to golden sand as the landscape becomes a desert. I look up to Tim. "Do you think we're going to make it home?"

He looks down to me. "'Course I do, Dami. Don't have a doubt 'bout it."

I loop my earbuds to hang down and he pushes me a little. "Scaredy cat."

"Bully." I push him back. He laughs and puts a hand on my shoulder to walk. "Hey, TD?"

"Yeah?" He asks. I look into his eyes. "I love you."

"Love you, too, little brother." He says quietly.


	7. Chapter 7

"/Be careful what you wish for 'cause you just might get it all/You just might get it all, and then some you don't want/Be careful what you wish for 'cause you just might get it all/You just might get it all, yeah/" Day sings. I hold up my phone camera to face the eight year old, laughing silently at how oblivious he is. He's been singing a version of Landslide, though I don't know if it's Dixie Chicks or Fleetwood Mac.

I laugh at the little boy, checking again for phone service. "Nothing."

Just as Damian is pulling out his earbuds, the trilling of my phone dying sounds out. He laughs. "That's karma for taping me, Drake."

"Shut up." I push him lightly. We josh each other and playfight, not noticing the stray dog when it comes up. Dami sees it before me, squeaking in excitement. "Oh, hello. No tags, hmm?"

"Look how thin he is, poor boy. He's a stray." Damian looks up at me, an idea glimmering in his eyes. "Please let him come with us. I've always wanted a dog."

"I don't see why we couldn't keep him." I unwrap my last Twinkie. We stopped at a roadside gas station, buying a few days worth of food, a while back. We've stretched it for over a week, and we're out. "If he's out here, a city can't be far away. Someone's bound to have a phone there."

"I still do not see why the station had no phone." I shrug, and he says, "I'm gonna call him Titus. You look like a Titus, boy."

As if in agreement, the dog barks. The dog is black with pointed ears, which stick straight up. inside, his ears are golden, as is his belly, ankles, and paws. I pet him for a moment, and his long tongue comes out in happiness. Day pets him, and I look over him. "Looks like some kind of black lab and pitbull mix."

"Are you describing me or the dog?" He asks. I laugh, and he stands up. "In all seriousness, though, I'm the Dark Knight's son and the grandson of Ra's Al Ghul. Shadowy and agressive."

"Yeah." I say, then I start walking again. As I had thought, the dog came from the city we see once we are just over a ridge in front of us. Where the land drops down, there is about a mile of land and a tiny diner on the outskirts of a small town. Day and I exchange a glance. "We're still in our uniforms, so be careful. I don't know if your dog friend can come in, so he might have to wait outside."

The mutt barked, and we headed down the hill. I open the door, and the building is empty, except for a woman in her mid-thirties cleaning one of the tables. She looks up at us and speaks with an accent I recognize as from Illinois. "How ya doin' sugars? Have a seat where ya want."

"Thank you, ma'am." Day says kindly. She nods and hands us a few menus as we sit at the bar. Titus, who we had left outside, pushes the door open with his nose. "Oh, is that your dog?"

"Sort of. He's a stray we were wanting to keep." I tell her, and she motions for the dog to come in. He bounds across the floor and she pats the stool next to Day. The dog jumps up and sits politely next to the boy. The woman laughs. "Well, everyone in these parts has been hearing the news you two went missing, 'specially since Batman called our mayor, thinking you'd be in the desert out there."

"The forest beyond it, actually. We walked quite a long way." Damian informs her, then thanks her for the water she's brought. She smiles softly. "Do you have a phone we could borrow, perhaps?"

She gestures to a payphone on the wall. I walk over, entering Bruce's number and waiting until he picks up. Dami orders for the two of us while the phone rings, and then my father picks up. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Red Robin." I can almost hear his smile. "Hey. Oh, you're still in costume, huh? Where are you?"

"Little diner outside of the town at the edge of the desert. Woman said you called their mayor and said you thought we were out here." I tell him, turning to look at Day and Titus. "Oh, hey, um. . .so, D and I found this dog, a mutt stray, and we were thinking, maybe, we could keep it?"

"I'll think about it. Big dog?"

"I said pitbull and black lab mix." I tell Bruce about Damian's joke about the dog and him being kindred spirits. In the meantime, I watch the two bond as Dami feeds the dog little bits of his meal. I laugh and Batman asks, "What?"

"He's feeding the dog and the dog's jumping for each little bit. It's so funny." I tell him. Bruce laughs, imagining the scene, and then tells me, "Okay. I'll pick up Grayson and be on my way soon."

"Gotcha. See you soon." I walk back to the duo and take a small bite of the food. It's amazing after nearly ten days of junk food. With my mouth full, I tell Robin, "You better not have fed your dog any of my food."

"Don't worry. I didn't." His chuckling, however, betrays him. I roll my eyes at the little boy and prepare myself for a long night before Grayson and Bruce come to save us. I don't tell Robin that our older brother is coming, simply because I want to see his face. He and Dick are closer than pretty much anyone I've ever known.


	8. Chapter 8

I click off my phone and race to my room. I tug on my Nightwing costume, looking at myself in the mirror as I do so. A text from Raven rings in on my phone: Tim & Damian?

Yes, I answer. I have to hurry.

Be careful. Star and I need you. Trust my sister to make such a sentimental comment. I will, Rae. Trust me.

I do. I'm throw my phone in my pocket and race downstairs to my black and blue Nightwing motorcycle. I race from the island, all the way to Wayne Manor two cities over. Batman is just starting the Batmobile in the cave when I pull up on my bike, ten minutes later. Barbara waves to us, a pink robe around her pajamas, and we pull away. "Thanks for hurrying, Grayson."

"Thanks for inviting me." I sigh and lay back. Jason calls and I push the TALK button on the Bluetooth. He says, "Hey, I got you on speaker. What happened?"

"Tim called. He said he and Dami were in that village off the desert, one of the ones I spoke to the mayor of. We were right, they were dropped off in that forest and walked through the desert." I can hear water running-Jason must have called from the kitchen. Alfred, who could do dishes in a hurricane-and has-is washing up after dinner. Barbara says, "So you were just like 'screw everything,' Grayson?"

"Pretty much. Raven kept texting me before I got on the road, all paranoid. I told her to trust me and left it." I sigh. "Probably freaked my team out a little 'cause I took off."

"Sounds like-" a few static noises cut Jason off. "Oh, Terra's pissed. She says you took off without saying even one word and only replied to Rae's texts, just because she was there first, and you scared the shit out of her, blah, blah, blah. Does she really whine with you all that much?"

"Yeah. Betting she doesn't treat you like that." I dare Jason to say she doesn't. "She does. Only when I ignore her, though."

We laugh, and at a stoplight before the freeway onramp Bruce pulls out his phone, clicking on a message and pulling up a single text from Tim. "And they got a dog. I'm sending this pic."

"I thought you said he told you his phone died?" B asks. He tells her, "He did. The owner of the restaurant they're at let him use her charger."

"Okay. And they were in a dead-zone, so far as service goes?" I ask. He nods, pulling onto the freeway and merging. "Yeah. Tim said he didn't have service the whole time they were walking."

"Fun." Barbara says sarcastically. Ten hours later, we're on the other side of that service void and pulling into the parking lot of the diner. I see them instantly-Dami and his new dog, definetly a black lab mix, with Tim beside them at the bar in front. The headlights of the car shine into the window, and Tim smiles at us. He salutes, and I do it back-just something we do when one of us does something noteworthy.

Day covers his mouth upon seeing me. I guess Tim didn't tell him Bruce was bringing me along? He races out and hugs each of us. I give Tim a brother-hug and then I pet the dog. "Hey, buddy."

"You two given him a name yet?" Bruce asks. Dami looks up, and he continues, "He's going to need a name if we're going to keep him."

"Are you serious?" Dami asks. Tim makes twin fists and draws them close to himself, whispering, "Yes!"

"I want to call him Titus." Dami tells us. I reach inside the open window of the Batmobile, pressing a button on the dash. Bruce thanks the owner of the restaurant as the engine in the back moves, revealing a backseat. The seat unfolds, revealing black leather embroidered with a bat symbol to match the rest of the interior. Tim opens the door and gets in, and I hop in the passenger side. Damian gets in and holds the door open for Titus, who leaps in beside him.

He motions for the dog to get on the seat, which he does gratefully. The mutt lays down beside Day as the boy clicks on his seatbelt. Bruce gets in and starts the car. Within a few minutes, we're out in the desert again. Dami's asleep, laying against Titus, who also has passed out. Tim explains to us all that they've been through in the past few weeks. "What sucks is we were in uniform the whole time."

"Yeah, that must've been great." I look into the mirror on the other side of my window. I can see Tim in the backseat, his cheek against the glass. He continues, "The gas station didn't have a phone-the owners didn't even have cell phones. I guess it's self-explanatory since there's no service out there."

Bruce keeps looking back in the rearview mirror at the boys. He smiles and stays silent-I think about how torn up I was when they got taken, how did he feel? They are like his kids-Damian is his kid-after all. We get into the forest and Tim tells us to stop for a minute. He jumps out and runs across the road, returning with Dami's swords. "He forgot these!"

"Good you found them," I tell him. "He would have been pissed if he got home and realized they were gone."

"Yeah." Tim says. The eight hour drive each way starts taking it's toll on Bruce and I, who take turns driving and need a break near noon. Tim and Dami walk to a fast food place to get lunch and Damian shares with Titus, creating a cute little ritual between them. Once we've all eaten, I start driving and Bruce sleeps a little. We're home by near seven at night, evening leaving it's last whispers on the earth. I note the day is getting shorter, and that December is fast approaching. That means two things: Dami's birthday on the sixteenth and Christmas days after.


	9. Chapter 9

I walk through the door, blurry-eyed. I slept for a long time in the car, Titus's fur against my face. I want to be up, since it's only seven o-clock and I haven't had dinner. I want to wake up, and stay up. When Jason and Barbara run to us, happy and laughing, I'm awake instantly. I hug my brother and sister, grateful to be home. They meet my dog and I tell them the joke about the pitbull-black lab and my heritage.

They laugh and Jason gives me another hug. I could care less about that right now, since I'm so exhausted and hungry. I take a shower, changing into my sky blue Batman pajamas when I'm done. Tim follows, getting into his green footie pajamas. After we finish, we walk together into the dining room, where everyone else is in their PJ's as well. Alfred informs us dinner will be a pasta salad, which I am terribly fond of, and bread made from scratch, Tim's favorite.

Once we've eaten dinner, and half an hour later, we settle down in the sitting room at the front of the house. I sit on one of the couches, and Grayson joins me. Jason, Tim, and Barbara share the couch against the wall. Titus sniffs around the room as we talk, just telling each other things from when we were apart. The dog settles down at my feet, and I fold my legs up so I don't accidentally kick him. Jason says, "I can't believe Bruce let you keep him. I asked for a dog forever and here I am."

"He just likes me better." I tell Jason. Our father calls from the kitchen, where he's talking to Alfred, "You know that's bullshit, Day."

I open my mouth to retort, but he's right. I shake my head and look down at my dog. Grayson seizes the moment to change the subject. "Hey, Damian. I was looking around in your room while you were gone, and I found those letters."

"What? You're not allowed to read those. No one in this house is." I scowl at him. He laughs. "I did. That's beautiful, Day, what you wrote."

"Letters? What?" Barbara asks, sitting up straighter. Grayson laughs again. "Remember when we sent him to that monastery in the Himalayas, and he came back six months later? He wrote letters to all of us, one every day, and they were all sentimental and sweet."

"How cute!" Jason squeals. This only makes me more mad, and when Grayson pulls out one of the letters, I nearly snap. Tim is even worse about it. "And he wrote them in crayon? What?"

"Yes. Let me read this. It's so sweet!" Grayson tells them, and begins. "He said, 'I've been lonely lately. If I could say it to you in person, I would-you're my best friend. I miss you and I want to come home. Anyway, how is life? I spend my time mostly thinking about home-home where it's summer and warm and beautiful. Where there's people to talk to, brothers to fight with, a sister to yell at when her music is too loud. Yes, I definetly want to go home.' And that's only the beginning."

Before he can read on, I fling a couch pillow at him. "You little-"

He throws a pillow back. "You're sweet, little brother."

Jason stands next to Grayson and whacks me with his own pillow. Barbara and Tim race to get ammunition and come back swinging their pillows. "Those letters are private! Why else would I have put them under my bed?"

"You were snooping under his bed? That's dark." Jason tells Dick. He replies, "I know, right?"

Alfred and Father come and watch us from the doorway. They laugh a little and head to the cave, probably to file the info on the. . .kidnapping of Tim and I. We're all laughing, throwing pillows and enjoying each other's company for once. When nine o-clock hits, we're exhausted. Barbara and Tim pull out the couch, laying the foldout back down. I yawn and Grayson climbs up.

He takes me into his arms. I press my cheek against his chest as Tim curls up against my oldest brother's other side. Jason comes from the hall with a blanket in his hands. He climbs up beside me, Barbara next to Tim. We pull the blanket over us, tucked in together. I'm asleep before I know it.

Click! A camera flash drags me from a deep sleep. I blink open my eyes, not moving. I take in the scent of Grayson's body spray, the ocean scent of his home, and the last scent I've never been able to place. Something about waking up next to your brother that just makes you feel so nice. . . .

I forget about the camera as I slip free of my brothers and sister, careful not to wake them. I head upstairs, shower, and change into my usual jeans and brown hoodie. I head downstairs, noticing that my siblings haven't gotten up yet. I head into the kitchen, finding Alfred alone and preparing breakfast. "Morning, Pennyworth. How are you?"

"Considering the circumstances, perfectly fine."

Just then, I get a message on my phone. It's a post on the FORM, by no other than my butler. It's a photo of all of us kids from this morning, one of the rare moments where we're all getting along. Alfred wrote:

So nice to see the young masters cooperating for once. As Tim and Damian have returned, life in the Manor is once again tolerable.

I scowl at him, hearing Grayson shaking the others awake. I add a comment, reading the ones already left by Raven and Bruce.

 **Raven: How cute! What did they do to force the prodigy to stay there?**

 **Bruce: Suprisingly, nothing. There was a pillow fight, started by Dami himself, and they crashed. I**

 **think it's nice to see my kids getting along for once, though.**

 **Raven: Makes sense, Dami started the fight.**

 **Damian: Make all the jokes you want, Raven. I happen to enjoy spending time with my siblings.**

The others get up and they agree with me: life is so much easier when we don't fight. That doesn't mean we won't, though.


	10. Chapter 10

"You destroyed my Court!" Samantha yells. She throws her hands up, her Grand Master uniform falling, a white dress underneath being revealed. Her eyes turn solid black, and a shiver runs down my spine. "Now, you and your precious family will pay!"

I scream out as Talon drags Talia and Damian forward, dropping their bruised bodies in front of me. I am in an iron prison, reaching out for them. The cage bars in are unforgiving, icy metal. "No! Samantha, don't!"

"I will, Bruce. I will make you pay for taking my life. For your boy taking my Talon and destroying him. And your Talia just happened to come along, so you can watch her suffer as well."

"No!" I yell. The dark figure who brought the two in kicks them, and Damian winces. Talia is sobbing, but trying to rescue our son. Her efforts are in vain, though-she collapses seconds later. I look to Samantha-her translucent figure wavers in the orange light. "Samantha! Stop-"

I shoot awake, drinking in a sigh and shivering. Light sweat dots my forehead and I shake for a moment. Then, I wonder what woke me. I press a button on my nightstand and a display on the wall flickers to life. Survelliance screens for every room light up, and I find that the rooms are silent and calm.

Grayson is lying in his bed, his face turned slightly toward the starry window. Barbara fell asleep with her headphones on again-good thing she programs her music player to shut off at midnight. The stairwell leading down to the Batcave is quiet, as is the cave itself. Alfred is safe in his bed, as well. I have to make sure the man who protected me for years is safe and sound-I always do.

Then, I see the screen for Damian's room. He's not there, all his covers in a mess. Then, movement on the hallway screen catches my eyes. A dark silhouette is making it's way down the hall. Titus, sleeping in the hall outside the kids' rooms, looks up. Then, I hear footsteps coming towards me, quiet and stealthy like a cat's. I click the display off, looking up quietly. Day is in my doorway.

"Dad?" He murmurs. I look to him-his hair is messy and he's wearing his footie pajamas with the hood. "Yes, Damian?"

"I. . . .Well, I was having a dream that. . . ." He can't find the words to say. He had a nightmare!

"Come here." I tell him, sitting up slightly. He climbs up onto my bed with me, and I hold him in my lap. "You know you can tell me about it, right?"

"I. . . ." He sighs, closing his eyes. I hold him to my chest, murmuring, "Dami, you're okay. Everything's okay."

"I was dreaming about you and Mother," he tells me, close to tears. "And Grayson, and everyone. The. . .Talon was trying to hurt you. It was all my fault, everyone was saying that, and he. . .he hurt you, and then. . .he came after me."

"Shh. . ." I tell my son, who is sobbing. I hold him closer to me. "Damian, look at me."

When his green eyes meet my blue ones, I whisper, "Dami, I will never let anyone hurt you. I'll always protect you. You're my son."

"Promise?" He asks quietly. In the dark I see he's holding his little finger up. I cross my pinkie into his, murmuring, "Of course. I promise."

I lay him down against my pillows. I look down onto my son for a moment, seeing him not as Robin, my partner, but as Damian. I don't see him as a hunter, I see him as the hunted. I see him as an eight-year-old kid, as Dami. As my beautiful son, Talia and I's son. I pull the covers around him and lie down myself, tucking us both in. "And, Damian? You're not the only one who has nightmares."

He rolls over to look me in the eyes. "What are you saying?"

"Let's just say I worry for you and your mother's safety far too often."

"Do you still love her?" He asks. It catches me off-guard, but I reach over him to the nightstand. I click on a lamp and pull a picture from the drawer. It's Talia, laughing in my arms. I am Bruce in that picture, a grey suit on. A ring on her finger catches the light, sparkling unnaturally. For a fraction of a second, I remember that day.

I bend down on one knee. Opening a black velvet box, I say, "Talia, you're the only person who's ever made me feel like I do. Please, Talia, make me feel like that forever. Will you marry me?"

"Yes, Bruce, I will." I slip the diamond on her finger, standing up. She and I embrace, eyes closing in blissful love. She whispers in my ear, "Yes, Bruce, I will make this forever."

We head home a little while later, heading up to my room. We lie down, still in our formal dress. I take one of her hands in mine and I kiss her fingers. "I love you, Talia Al Ghul."

"I love you, too, Bruce Wayne." Her brown hair tumbles down her shoulders as she presses her cheek to my chest. We both sigh and lay there, and then she stiffens slightly. I look down at her. "Tal? You okay?"

"I. . .Give me a sec, okay?" She walks out and comes back with something white in her hand. I look at the thin stick and gasp. Talia murmurs, "I'm pregnant."

"That's you, me, and your mother," I tell my son. He looks up. "What do you mean? I'm not-"

"This picture was taken the day I proposed to her. She told me she was pregnant with you that night." I tell my son. "We were going to get married before you were born so things would be easier. But before we could set up anything for the wedding Ra's kidnapped her."

"If you knew about me, why were you so suprised to meet me?" He asks. I look at him and inform him, "I thought Ra's had killed you. I thought she was gone, too, for a while. We wanted to have our wedding someday, after the League could hold its own and you were settled. But she went off the grid a few weeks after you got here."

He's silent, and I put the picture away. I lay down and attempt sleep, and Dami whispers, "If you could, would you still marry her?"

"Yes." I murmur. "I don't know if you know this, but I love her. I've been talking to her lately-mind you, she messages about once a week, but she wants to come out and see you, and every time she says she loves us both. Now, sleep, Damian."

He settles down, wrapped up in my arms. "Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight, my son."


	11. Chapter 11

Penguin. Two-Face. Dr. Freeze. The Joker. Anarky. Deathstroke.

Six villains stand before us today. With each there is a grudge held, and we have to fight hard to overcome them. Penguin, for my father, as he caused much trouble to Gotham and resulted in the death of the mayor, who was close to him. Two-Face, for murdering Grayson's parents. Dr. Freeze is Barbara's, as Alfred, who she cares for more than anything, nearly died at his hands. The Joker is Jason's, he was killed in an accident similar to Grayson's and had to be ressurrected. Anarky, a miniature Joker, who has caused Tim more pain than anyone should ever have to feel. Deathstroke, for murdering my grandfather and shaking my world to the ground and back again.

I put on a brave face through my mask. Jason, beside me, is shaking violently and trying to hold himself still. I gingerly touch my brother's wrist, reminding him that he isn't alone. Then, we fight. Again and again a song plays in my head, and I am grateful. It is a distraction, and I feel less rage to unleash upon Deathstroke.

/Yeah, you could be the greatest/You can be the best/You can be the King Kong banging on your chest/You could beat the world/You could beat the war/You could talk to God, go banging on his door/You can throw your hands up, you can beat the clock/You can move a mountain, you can break rocks/You can be a master, don't wait for luck/Dedicate yourself and you can find yourself/Standing in the hall of fame, and the world's gonna know your name/'Cause you burn with the brightest flame, and the world's gonna know your name/And you'll be on the walls of the hall of fame/

As the villains retreat into the darkness, I see Deathstroke flip around and face us from the shadows. "You know, Batman, your little troop is going to suffer someday. Just like your precious Talia is suffering back in our headquarters."

I shoot my father a look as my grandfather's killer slips away. He returns it, both of us recalling the night before. "This is great."

We get into the Batmobile and drive away, Tim and Jason in the backseat. They are both texting, my oldest brother and my sister having taken their bikes. I look up to my father as he drives, his cowl still up. His white mask eyes are narrowed, watching the road but not concentrating. Grayson calls and I push the talk button on the car screen, knowing he's using his microphone and headset built into his helmet. "Hey."

I look into the rearview mirror, seeing both my sister and brother behind us on the road. He continues, "You two okay?"

"Yeah." I murmur. My father agrees in a deep, husky voice, and I sigh. "At least now we know she's still okay, right? We can rescue her or something."

"Sounds right to me." Grayson says. "But I have no idea where Slade's group moved their headquarters to, since we burned down their old building."

"We can find it." Bruce says. His voice is still deep, and I reach over to touch his shoulders. He blinks over at me gratefully, then focuses on the road again. Tim looks up from the backseat. "Find what?"

"Deathstroke's base, and once we find that, my mother." I reply, biting back more. Because I miss her, I haven't seen her in so long. And if she's not okay, Deathstroke will personally pay.

I look over to my father, and I know he's thinking the same things.

"What if we can't find her?" I ask quietly. "What if. . . ."

"We will, Dami." My father reassures me. We're both looking up at a display in the Batcave. The time on the clock is well past midnight, though I barely notice. I want to find Mother, so I can have the life I once had, only now with my new family as well. My father looks up at the clock, reading the time. "You should go to bed. I'm thinking about it myself."

"But-" I break off in a yawn. "Damian, I'll follow you up in a minute. Let me shut everything down."

"Mmm-kay." I murmur, walking sleepily up the stairs. I get into my pajamas and go to lie down, but at the last second, I reach into my dresser and pull out a newspaper clipping in a photo frame. It's a photo, of me, mother, and father, just after we had reached the shore from the collapsing oil rig. My mother was looking me into the eye and talking, and my father was just behind us, watching.

We were all bruised and bleeding, but we were all together. That's why I like it, why I look at it and remind myself this will happen again someday, us being together. My father comes up behind me and I look up. He sits beside me on the bed, looking at the photograph. "Someday we'll get you a picture that's better than that. Where we're all together and no one's bruised or scratched up like that."

"Someday soon, I hope." I murmur. He nods and tucks me in. I am too tired to fight his coddling me tonight, and I sleep. I dream about Talia, my mother, her brown hair and warrior-like personality, her harsh way of talking. When morning wakes me, with the birds singing and the sun warming my face, I look up. Father is in the doorway, saying, "Damian, get up."

"What's going on?" I ask, stretching out. He walks over, a recorder in his hand. "Listen."

A broken, static voice comes through. I recognize it instantly-my Mother. "Damian, Bruce. . . .I'm in an abandoned apart-I need help. . . .please get me out."

"Where is she?" I ask, quiet and almost frightened. "The abandoned apartment building on the city line. I need you and Grayson to go with me and get her out of there."

"She's going to stay here, right?" I wonder, getting up to get dressed."Yes, Damian, she'll stay here."

Once I'm dressed, I head down to get something for breakfast. I watch Tim and Jason sparring in the backyard while I nibble on toast and sipping my tea, a mixture Alfred makes for me every morning. When I finish, I inquire about my sister's wherabouts. Alfred answers from the sink, where he is washing up from my brothers' meal. "She is over at Mistress Kara's house, having yet another sleepover."

"She goes over there a lot. Are they really close friends?" He nods, his back to me. "They fought a villain known as Livewire together when Superman and your father were out of town. Since then they have been nearly inseperable."

I sigh. "Girls will be girls."

He stifles a laugh. I rinse my plate off and put it in the dishwasher, then I tug my uniform on over my clothes and head down to the cave. By nightfall, we are in the Batmobile and heading to the building. The drive is silent, me in the back and Grayson in the passenger seat. When we arrive, I see someone guarding the front steps I never wanted to see-Talons. The undead warriors don't see us approaching.

We park the car on the pavement in the back, then we spot another entrance. We head toward it and I ready some special Batarangs just in case. We slip inside unnoticed, then Grayson and I look to our father. He motions for us to follow him out of the lobby-area, toward the rooms upstairs.

We bound up the stairs, me taking two at a time to keep up. All three of us are silent. We see an open door, and the silhouette of an Owl floats through it. I shiver as we slip by, but the dark figure spots us as it turns to leave and it screams for the Talons. We are able to ward them off easily enough, and then I see it. The bloody trail leading under one door. I show it to my father, silently, and he nods.

He and Grayson create a diversion, leading the Talons down the hall. The new Grandmaster is here, too-I can hear the voice. "Your boy won't survive to see his next birthday, Batman. You destroyed our Talon and Grandmaster, now we destroy you."

I push on the door. It doesn't budge, so I pick the lock with the corner of a Batarang. My mother lays on the floor inside, the room empty except for her blood and marks on the floor, meaning someone had a fight in here. I hope it was my mother, because if she's bad, I don't think I can control myself. I race to her limp form and gently touch her shoulder. She blinks awake, looking up. "Dami. . .Damian?"

"Shh. . ." I tell her. "We're going to get you out of here."

"We?" She asks numbly. I help her to her feet, but she walks fine on her own. "Father, Grayson, and I. We came to rescue you."

She seems awake enough now, and I get her outside without any trouble. I grab a towel from the car and clean most of the blood off of her, wrapping her shoulders in another. Grayson and my father come running, and my brother leaps into the backseat, me at his heels. Father kisses my mother, and she murmurs, "I missed you, beloved."

I cringe at their lip-locking, but Grayson shrugs it off. I recall him kissing his now-wife, Koriand'r, on several occasions, and am not suprised. My father says he missed Talia as well, and they both get in and we drive away, dust flying behind us. Grayson laughs that he left behind a present, and then I hear it-the whole building collapses when an explosive goes off on the lowest floor. I laugh, too.


	12. Chapter 12

Blurry eyed, I make my way down to the kitchen. I blink awake and sit at the counter, yawning. Alfred gives me a smile and Bruce comes in, already dressed for the day. He helps the old man set the table, and I get up to help out as well. Talia comes down, dressed in a pink robe and white fleece pajamas. She sits down with Bruce, and I pour myself a glass of apple juice, hoping the sugar content of the drink will wake me.

In the bedrooms above me, I can hear Dick waking everyone else. I listen as he's to my right, knocking on Barbara's bedroom door first thing, just as he always does. He calls, "Babs. time to get up."

She grumbles, and footsteps can be heard heading into the room. He says something to her, and suddenly she laughs lightly. I imagine her blonde hair tumbling as he tickles her to wake her, just like he does with the rest of us. Especially little Dami. She says, "C'mon, Grayson, you know my body won't start functioning until ten!"

A few minutes later, Jason stumbles down the steps. A new scratch crosses one of his cheeks, from just last night. His grey pajamas are rumpled, and I wonder how well he slept last night. I know it wasn't a pleasant experience for me. Barbara follows my brother down the stairs, blinking sleepily. I hand each of them some juice and they start dishing their plates. Grayson heads into Damian's room, which is down the hall from everyone else's, and directly above us.

I hear Grayson tell our youngest brother to get up. I hear a mutter, and then Damian says, "No, Grayson, no. These blankets have accepted me as one of their own. Leaving now might mean losing their trust, I can't afford that!"

A gasp is followed by Grayson coming down the stairs, a blanket-wrapped Dami in his arms. "I'm not fighting this morning. Last night was bad enough."

"You should have called for backup." Bruce says. "I would have come to help."

"We got out alive, lesson learned, now let me sleep." Dami mutters, putting his head down on a folded-up corner of his blanket. Everyone laughs at him and his mother kisses him. Unlike when the rest of us do that, he doesn't swat her away. He reluctantly sits back up and we start to eat. Alfred asks Dami, "Why do your pajamas have a hood, sir?"

"It protects me from demons," he replies and throws the hood up. I shake my head and Grayson says, "There aren't any demons, Damian. And even if there were, do you really think we'd let you get hurt?"

"Sometimes. . . ." He trails off. We group hug him, and he hugs us back for once. I note that he's in an exceptionally good mood. Grayson's phone goes off and he looks at it, worried. The look doesn't go away when he sets it down. Jason asks, "What?"

"Nightstar went missing last night. Kori still can't find her." He says. Damian looks over at him with this what? expression on his face. "Who's Nightstar?"

"My daughter. How have you not even heard of her before?" Grayson questions. Day shrugs. A voice from the hall makes us all look up. "Maybe because you never bring me with you when you come out here."

Nightstar's in the doorway. Her dark hair is cut differently-jagged bangs that taper down one side of her forehead. It's still just past her shoulders. She has a motorcycle helmet under one arm and is wearing a leather suit. Grayson walks over and picks the seven year old up off the ground and she embraces him. He walks back and sits down with her in his lap.

He says to her, "Night, don't do that. You scared everyone."

"You leave me behind for two weeks at a time, what am I supposed to do? I miss you and you don't even blink." His daughter retorts. Her blue eyes look like they're going to cry. He holds her, telling her, "You should have said something, baby girl. If I has known you would go with me."

She breathes a sigh, fighting off the tears and looking up. "Okay."

"And another thing," he continues, "Which bike did you steal to get out here?"

"Your black one, the one you really like." She looks him in the eyes. He narrows his. "Do you have any idea how special that bike is?"

"No. What?" She asks. He looks at her and then Damian, saying, "Both of you, listen. This story leads to both of you."

He begins, "When my parents and brother died, I came here. I was going to hunt the villain down and kill him, but I went into the garage to fill my bike up before I took off. I saw two of that bike. They needed fixed and keeping one would be the price. I stayed and worked every free moment on them, and that bike, Night, is the one I kept. I hadn't finished them yet when I discovered something that changed the entire universe."

Damian is sitting on the edge of his seat, interested. "What?"

Nightwing smiles. "There was one door in the house kept locked. The door that, once I got through it, led to the Batcave."

Nightstar gasps. Her father goes on, "I went in and found everything down there, and eventually took on the name Robin so I could hunt down Two-Face and get revenge. And that moment gave you," he touches the back of Damian's hand, "an identity. And you, Night, that's how I ended up meeting your mother and creating the Titans."


	13. Chapter 13

"I have to live with her? I don't think so!" Damian gestures to Raven. She rolls her eyes, saying, "I'm not too keen on this idea, either, Damian. But it's going to keep you alive, so I'll put up with you."

"I think I would rather risk it." Dami grumbles, walking over to join Mar'i. She smiles and asks him something about the music award show she watched last night and I turn back to Bruce. He thanks me yet again for allowing Damian to stay with me. I nod, telling him, "He's my brother. He's always welcome here."

"Does he know?" Kori asks. Bruce shakes his head and says, "No. And I don't want him to."

My wife nods and walks to the two kids, sitting at the table and talking. She says something to them and they nod eagerly, and she pulls grape Kool-Aid from the fridge. They both love the stuff. I watch the pair, my father beside me. I tell him, "Crazy how my little brother and my daughter are so close in age-and so similar."

"Yeah. And after only two days they're closer than pretty much anyone I've ever met." I have to agree with Bruce-since Nightstar came out to the Manor, she and Damian have talked close to nonstop, about anything and everything. They like the same music, sports-they've even got the same lucky number and favorite color. I help Damian get settled-he's going to sleep in the living room for now, since we don't know how long he'll be staying.

Until they get locked up again. I remember what my father said. Damian says goodnight to his new friend, my daughter, and she heads to bed. Bruce tucks the boy in and I head upstairs to get Mar'i ready for bed. She falls asleep easily, and I walk to say goodbye to my father. Dami is also asleep already, and I watch him for a moment. Bruce tells me, "The Talon and the Grandmaster were dead-killed by Dami-and now that they're back, they want to get him."

"And he needs a safe place to stay. I know. But why not tell him?" Bruce swallows, then replies in a soft voice, "He almost died in the process, remember? They tried to drown him. I don't want them to succeed this time, and I don't want him to be afraid."

"I don't wish to get hurt like that again." Damian looks up at us from the couch. I guess he wasn't asleep, after all. I reach out for my brother and Bruce sits down on the couch beside him. "Dami, nothing's gonna happen to you. You're going to stay here with me until it's over, and no one will even know."

Bruce takes Damian in his lap and we hold him until he falls asleep. Bruce tucks his son in and stands, ready to leave. "I'm afraid for him, Dick."

"I know how you feel," I tell him. "I have Mar'i. She's as wild as he is."

Bruce has to go, and I decide to try sleeping. I check on my daughter and walk past the empty room where Prem and Destiny used to be. I feel a pang for the kids my sister, Raven, lost. Someday I'll find them, Rae-and they'll be friends with Damian and Mar'i. Someday. . . .

"Dick? Grayson?" I blink awake to Damian's voice. For a moment I am lost, since I am in my bed in the Tower. But then, I remember, and am awake. "Yeah, Dami?"

"Can I stay in here with you?" He seems hesitant and afraid. I think about how he said he's afraid of demons from a myth Talia told him, and I realize that's what he's scared of. "Of course, little brother."

He curls up with his back against my chest. I put an arm around him to keep him safe and he murmurs, "Nightmare. You, Jay, and TD were all gone. Mar'i, too, she was injured badly and I couldn't save her. I needed someone to be near."

"You can always come to me, Dami." I reassure him. "You should get some sleep, though, tomorrow's bound to be a big day."

"Okay." He snuggles in and I listen as his breath and heartbeat slow. Just before he falls asleep, he says, "Grayson, I'm scared. If something happens to Father because of me, because of what I did to the Owls-"

"Damian, nothing bad's going to happen. He's Batman, he can handle anything. Now sleep." Inside, though, I'm not so sure. After Jason died, Bruce lost control and I had to help him out. When Barbara was paralyzed, he felt responsible and crumbled when he thought no one was looking. Will he feel that this happening to Damian is his fault, too? All I know is that we have to help him even when he thinks he can do anything.

"Even demons, like the ones Mother spoke of?"

"Yeah. Even demons. And that reminds me, you've got your mom now. She won't let you get hurt, ever. She loves you, Damian." With that, my brother rolls over in my arms and embraces me. I hold him, too. "Love you, Dick."

"I love you, too, Dami." Everything's alright, at least for now.

"Raven! I am your younger brother, how dare you strike me like that!" I wake up to the sound of Damian and Raven fighting. If only my siblings could get along. . . . I walk downstairs after getting dressed, and they continue to fight. "Both of you, stop it."

"Stop what?" Raven asks in fake-innocence. She knows I know what was happening. "Fighting. One of you is going to end up getting hurt."

"We were not fighting, Grayson. We were physically arguing." I roll my eyes at Damian. Raven laughs. "Ooh, I am so going to use that later. And just so you know, I will always win. I'm older, so there."


	14. Chapter 14

I stand on the porch, trying to keep out of the rain. Grayson and his team are getting ready to leave on a mission to the East Coast, and Nightstar is staying with us during that time. I take her suitcase off of the steps and put it inside the doorway, and we say goodbye to Dick and the others. Raven says she won't miss me and I say it back, but I hug her and her husband Beast Boy, who backs up her every move.

"We'll be back in a week or so, okay?" My brother tells my pink haired companion. She's crying. "You can't go!"

"Nightstar, honey, we have to. But we'll be back, okay?" I take Mar'i by the hand and I tell her, "Besides, you and I are going to get into trouble together, remember?"

She nods, tears dripping down her cheeks. Both of her parents kiss her and the team takes off. I lead my friend up the stairs to my room and she lays down beside me on my bed. It's nearly midnight. She falls asleep quickly, and I pull a blanket over her. I sleep, too, but I wake in the middle of the night with a nightmare. Again, it is my family dying and I not being able to do anything.

I look over to the girl I have become best friends with, and I know instantly it was a dream. I stroke back a flurry of her dark hair from her face and she wakes up. "Dami?"

"Hey, sweet." I murmur. She smiles and I wonder if we've known each other long enough for me to ask her something. I tell myself it's now or never and I question Mar'i, "Can we be best friends?"

"I thought we already were," she murmurs with a small smile. I think of her father-she looks a lot like him. I sit up and pull her hand. "Come on, it's almost morning anyway."

"Do you miss your brother?" She asks as we slip our shoes off. I nod. "I don't want him to be gone all the time."

"I know the feeling."

We had fallen asleep in our clothes so we change into clean ones, and I make my bed. She puts away her dirty laundry and we go into my game room. "Hey, can you play DDR?"

"What's that?" She asks. I smile and click on the game system. "Dance Dance Revolution. Watch."

I show off for her and she claps. I mock a bow and give her a turn, where she beats me and my all-time record. "Whoa, Night! Way to go."

A month later, Nightstar and I are closer than I had ever thought possible. Her parents still aren't back, but that's okay, we make pretty good partners in crime. Replacing the laundry detergent in the basement with superglue was an easy task, and getting into the Batcave computer was even more simple. I can't think of anything I like more than the mischievious smile she gives me as we do something bad.

She knows I miss my grandfather, even though he was an evildoer and the kind of person I fight against on patrol. I found out Raven had twin kids with Beast Boy, and they dissapeared. No one knows why, but they are-or were, no one knows-her best friends. They are, if I think positively, a year younger than me and one older than her. They would've made good playmates for me, Mar'i says.

"Hey, Dami! Mar'i! I just got a phone call from Grayson." At my father's words, the two of us are racing to get down the stairs first. I slide down the banister and she skips down the steps two at a time. She gets down just as I'm asking Father, "What did he say?"

"He said he's coming back today. He'll be here in a few hours." We both shriek with joy. "Awesome!"

When the Titans do pull up, we race outside. Drake and the others follow, but I hug Grayson first and Starfire picks up Mar'i. Grayson, after walking inside, tells us the stories we've been waiting for. The group fought many battles, sometimes two in a day. "The Titans East can handle anything new, I think. But we got ten, maybe twelve members of the villain band locked up. All in different prisons, I might add."

"It'll delay them getting out, if nothing else. They've got friends on all sides of the story." Beast Boy comments. I think about the pictures Mar'i was showing me-Garfield Logan's daughter, Destiny, looked just like him back then. I feel something stir inside of me-poor Logan, to lose his kids like that. I look back to my brother as he continues regaling us with tales. I know both my eyes and Mar'i's are wide with excitement.

"Oh, I almost forgot. These," Grayson pulls two small objects from a top compartment of his suitcase. "Are for you."

Mar'i and I are each handed a stone on a chain. Mine is greyish white, with gold bound in two jagged lines holding on to the top. A matching, thin gold chain turns it into a pendant. Mar'i's is a pink geode, glowing in the light when the many surfaces reflect light. Dick continues, "Hold on to these, you two. If we ever have to leave like this again, remember I'll always come back to you."

"Always?" Mar'i asks, tiliting her head up to look at him. He smiles. "Always."


	15. Chapter 15

"And if I do?" Raven taunts Damian. She's over at the Manor to help set up Damian's ninth birthday party. I had thought an extra pair of hands would be nice. I hadn't expected her and Damian to fight the whole day, however. "I don't care what you do. It's my house, therefore my rules. And don't say that I didn't buy the house, today is my birthday and therefore I am king."

Dick and I exchange exasperated looks. These two are worse than cats and dogs. A radio is playing in the background, static-filled music coming through. As I pull out a package of Dixie Cups, I hear the rock music go up in volume. The announcer answers my question of why as if he can read my mind. "And now, a request from Damian Wayne himself. This next song is called High Road, and it's by Three Days Grace."

Damian starts singing. I can tell even Raven, music queen, is shocked by this action.

/I told you I was hurt, bleeding on the inside/I told you I was lost in the middle of my life/There's times I stayed alive for you, there's times I would have died for you/There's times it didn't matter at all/Will you help me find the right way out or help me take the wrong way down/Will you straighten me out or make me take the long way around/I took the low road in, I'll take the high road out/I'll do whatever it takes to be the mistake you can't live without/Standing in the dark, I can see your shadow/You're the only light breaking through the window/There's times I stayed alive for you, there's times I would have died for you/There's times it didn't matter at all/Will you help me find the right way out or make me take the wrong way down/Will you straighten me out or make me take the long way around/I took the low road in, I'll take the high road out/I'll do whatever it takes to be the mistake you can't live without/I'm not gonna give it away, not gonna let it go/Just to wake up someday gone, gone, ooh, ooh/The worst part is looking back/And knowing that I was wrong/Help me find the right way out or let me take the wrong way down/Will you straighten me out or make me take the long way around/I took the low road in, I'll take the high road out/I'll do whatever it takes to be the mistake you can't live without/I'l do whatever it takes to be the mistake you can't live without/

He smiles victoriously at the look on Raven's face. I'm just thinking how much that song describes us. He's been through everything bad imaginable, and I'm the one guiding his path now. He had a low point to come from, a high one as his destination. He is, to put it in the song lyrics, 'the mistake I can't live without.' Judging by the birthday party we're setting up for him, I know he means something to everyone else, too.

I look up and see the special streamers Talia's hanging. They're pictures of Damian the two of us dug up. Each one hangs on a string of a different length and is mounted to the ceiling by a thumbtack. As everyone comes in, Talia fetches our son and we take him into the den. "Dami, we have to talk with you for a minute."

"This is about the owls and the Talon again, isn't it?" He asks. "Yeah. They want to get you and we've got no idea where they are. So. . .just do me a favor and no more sneaking out, okay?"

"I promise, I won't. Just so long as you take me with you on patrol every night." He says. I nod and we walk back out to the party. He races to join Mar'i, who is wearing a fancy dress just for him. "Hey, Mar. Oh my God, are you wearing makeup? How did you sneak that one past Grayson?"

That night, I walk down the hall quietly. I see Damian's door is ajar and I move to close it. However, when I see him kneeling beside his bed, I stop. His eyes are closed and his hands are clasped, his elbows against his matress. I hear his whispering and I realize he's praying. I listen. "Dear God, I want to thank you for today. I could not have asked for a better day, with all of my brothers, sisters, and especially Mar'i all around me.

"I had a lot of fun, and I want to thank you for everyone who was with me today. My Mother, especially, because she might not be here right now if you hadn't saved her. I need nothing more in my life, because it's perfect. I just need to ask you for some things for my family.

"First, can you please help Alfred acheive his dream? I know he wants to fight beside Father and I, he just never got the chance to. Let him battle with us, or just go on patrol once in a while. Please. And secondly, for Grayson. I watched a lot of old videos today before the party, and one of them was of him.

"He was flying. He had a trapeze wire against the backs of his knees and he let go. He just flipped like an angel and I thank you for every moment you gave him where he flew like that. I just wish he was able to do that again, to fly like he did back in his circus days. I know it would be hard for him to now that he has his team but I think he misses his acrobatics more than anything.

"Speaking of his team, I have to get along better with Raven. I know she's my sister, and she's in my life for a reason, but right now all we ever do is fight. I need to know I'm not a stone in her path, keeping her from anything. That's what happened with Jason, we always fought. And I had to let him go for a long time before he really became my brother. I have to know that's not it with Raven.

"And lastly, please, God, please help my parents. I know Mother hasn't treated Father the best she can, and I know he is a little bit blind when it comes to anyone's love, especially hers. But they love each other, more than anyone I know. And I have to ask, please give them the wedding they deserve. I know they wear those engagement rings still and they want it. So please, please give them the wedding they need. And thank you again for everything you've given me my whole life. Thank you. And in Jesus's name, amen."

"Amen, Dami." I whisper, and I walk away. Amen indeed.


	16. Chapter 16

"Okay, Jaybird." I snuggle down into my pillows, Damian against my side. All three of my brothers and I are curling up in my big bed. Tonight we all just decided to sleep in here, none of us wanting to be alone. The fact that Jason is here after being gone for quite a while is contributing, I think. Jay rolls over, setting his phone on my nightstand, and faces me. Tim curls up between us, as usual, and Damian lays against my chest.

Jason attempts to sleep, putting his arm under Tim's chin. The boy compensates by tiliting his head up a little. Damian uses his folded hands as a pillow and I put am arm around him. Jay tilts his head down on the pillows and I turn mine. Once we're all comfortable, I pull the blanket up over us with my free hand. I can almost lay down for some sleep when Bruce, who was apparently in the doorway the whole time, asks, "This is cute and all, but why don't you sleep in your own rooms?"

"Because, Father, Dick has a large bed that fits us all and he promised to protect us. There are demons out there, and they can kill." Damian states, turning under the blanket. Only his nine-year-old's face pops out to look at our father. Tim, who doesn't dare move from between Jason and I, speaks up. "Besides, I like spending time around my brothers, even if we are only sleeping."

"Yeah." All of us agree with him on that.

I decide to focus my attention back on Damian. "You know there's no such thing as demons, Dami. And if there were, why would they come after you?"

"For the same reason Raven, who, by the way, is a partial demon, comes after me. There isn't one. But I know you're going to keep me safe." He snuggles into the blankets and blinks up at me. "So I stay close to you."

I smile at my youngest brother. Bruce, however, isn't done with us yet. "And Grayson, give me your phone. You need to sleep."

"Fine," I grumble playfully. I pull the iPhone out, and my iPod with it. "You might want to remember for next time that I always keep these two together."

"Alright. Now, goodnight, boys."

"'Night," we chorus. And then, we sleep.

Crash! I shoot awake from a black, dreamless sleep. Drake is suddenly awake, too. "What was that?"

"I don't know. I'm going to go check it out. I climb past Damian, who is just rousing. I walk into the hall, clicking a flashlight on. Cass, who was spending the night in Barbara's room with the redhead and Stephanie, steps out with me. "So you heard it, too."

"Yeah. What was that?"

"Don't know. Probably Titus or-oh my God." I'm speechless. Cass screams. We're at the bottom of the stairs and there's Damian's worst nightmare unfolding around us. Black demon creatures are flooding endlessly into our house. Bruce is beside is in less than two seconds, Jason on his heels. I get past the creatures, who are attempting to attack with claws out. I push a bookcase away and make it into the cave without demons following me.

I throw my Nightwing suit on just as Barbara, confined to her wheelchair, gets downstairs. "I'll put the house on lockdown. Get the radios out to everyone, will you?"

"Can do." I grab my earpiece and put it it, picking up my brothers' sets from their costume cases. I get back up the stairs and take out two demons with my Eskrima sticks before I reach Drake. I give him his and Dami's radios and we fight off a few demons with our fists. "I've gotta find Jay!"

"Go. I'll find Damian and stay with him."

"Make sure you put on your suits. You need at least a little protection, you'll get some from the Kevlar." He nods and I take off. Jason is in the screening room, trapped by three demons. I stab one and it becomes a floating black ooze that dissapears. Just like the Talons. . .no wonder Dami's afraid of them.

I give Jason his earpiece and we fight our way toward the laundry room, at which point he heads down to the cave. I find Stephanie and Cass, dressed up as Batgirl and the Black Bat, respectively. "You guys seen Bruce or Talia?"

They shake their heads. Steph tells me, "And I haven't seen Alfred all night. I hope they're laying low somewhere!"

"Think about who we're talking about. They probably just wanted to get into the cave through another entrance." I debuke their concern and kick another demon out. Tim and Damian race toward us suddenly. TD is dressed in his Red Robin suit but Damian's still in his pajamas. "Do you believe me now? Demons!"

The five of us knock out all of the demons we can see and walk down to the cave. Talia's in her ninja outfit, Bruce has his cowl up, and Jason has his helmet on. Damian races to throw his costume on and I see that he's bleeding. For the first time, I notice my own wounds. Alfred and Barbara are flipping through security camera feeds, trying to find out what happened. Barbara stops suddenly. "Look, they're magically materializing! Just poof, instant nightmare."

"Only this nightmare stings." Cass says, rubbing her bruised arm. Damian, now in his Robin costume, walks in, saying, "So you believe me now. I'm not suprised. . . . Just glad we're all alive right now."

"Not for long, Master Damian." Alfred shows us that more are on their way, and we brace ourselves.


End file.
